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GENERAL INFORMATION
Field Guide to Atmospheric Optics
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Description
The material in this Field Guide includes a review of classical Kolmogorov turbulence theory, Gaussian-beam waves in free space, and atmospheric effects on a propagating optical wave. These atmospheric effects have great importance in a variety of applications like imaging, free space optical communications, laser radar, and remote sensing. This Guide presents tractable mathematical models from which the practitioner can readily determine beam spreading, beam wander, spatial coherence radius (Fried's parameter), angle of arrival fluctuations, scintillation, aperture averaging effects, fade probabilities, bit error-rates, and enhanced backscatter effects, among others.
Keywords: atmospheric propagation, turbulence, laser radar, remote sensing, optical communication, scintillation, free space communication, Kolmogorov
Table of Contents
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Front Matter
Open Access
- Atmospheric Structure
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Atmospheric Structure
- Kolmogorov Theory of Turbulence
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Kolmogorov Theory of Turbulence
- Optical Wave Models in Free Space
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Optical Wave Models in Free Space
- Atmospheric Propagation: Second-Order Statistics
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Atmospheric Propagation: Second-Order Statistics
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Beam Wander
- Atmospheric Propagation: Fourth-Order Statistics
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Atmospheric Propagation: Fourth-Order Statistics
- Imaging Systems and Adaptive Optics
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Imaging Systems and Adaptive Optics
- Free Space Optical Communication Systems
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Free Space Optical Communication Systems
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Bit Error Rate
- Laser Radar and Optical Remote Sensing
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Laser Radar and Optical Remote Sensing
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Spatial Coherence
- Appendix
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Equation Summary
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Back Matter
Open Access
Excerpt
The material in this Field Guide is a condensed version of similar material found in two textbooks: Laser Beam Propagation through Random Media by L. C. Andrews and R. L. Phillips and Laser Beam Scintillation with Applications by L. C. Andrews, R. L. Phillips, and C. Y. Hopen. Both books are SPIE Press publications.
Topics chosen for this volume include a review of classical Kolmogorov turbulence theory, Gaussian-beam waves in free space, and atmospheric effects on a propagating optical wave. These atmospheric effects have great importance in a variety of applications like imaging, free space optical communications, laser radar, and remote sensing. Specifically, we present tractable mathematical models from which the practitioner can readily determine beam spreading, beam wander, spatial coherence radius (Fried's parameter), angle-of-arrival fluc-tuations, scintillation, aperture averaging effects, fade probabilities, bit error rates, and enhanced backscatter effects, among others.
Notation used in this field guide is largely based on common usage found in propagation studies but may be different from that commonly used in related areas. For example, the symbol “I” is used here for irradiance. In the radiometry community, the symbol “E” is commonly used for irradiance (W/m2) and the symbol “I” is reserved for intensity (W/sr).
The foundational material for atmospheric optics has generally been widely dispersed throughout the journal literature over many years, making it difficult for researchers to update their knowledge and for newcomers to the field to compile and understand this difficult subject area. It is hoped that this Field Guide will serve a useful purpose for practicing engineers and scientists who wish to have access to such material in a single concise presentation.
Larry C. Andrews
University of Central Florida
©2004 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
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